LCD and Plasma screens have more pixels per square inch than a CRT (or "normal") TV, meaning you get a sharper image but it is worth taking into consideration that some make and models offer better clarity than others.

This may not be your first concern when deciding on a TV but both LCD and Plasma TV's are slim and sleek making them easier to fit in the corner of your living room or even wall mounted

LCD and plasma TVs have been made so that they are totally flat which mean it makes it easier to watch from a wide angle

Because both LCD and plasma TVs are so compact, a 15" flat panel screen can give you the same amount of viewable screen as a traditional 17" CRT display.

Often with CRT screens films are normally "boxed" but now we have LCD and Plasma with a widescreen aspect ratio it means you can watch movies and DVD's as the were intended which is also perfect for home cinema

If you look closely at your traditional CRT television you can see thin lines. LCD and plasma TVs do not have these. Which go back to the picture quality being sharper and more clearer.

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. A network of hundreds of thousands of tiny LCD pixels sits behind the TV screen. Behind these pixels is a fluorescent white backlight. When the light hits the pixels, an electric current determines what colour appears on the screen, and the millions of tiny light variations make up the image that you see on your TV.

Plasma screens are made of two sheets of glass, between which plasma (xenon and neon gas) fills thousands of tiny chambers. Behind each chamber are a series of red, blue and green phosphors. When electricity hits the plasma chambers, they emit invisible UV light, which then hits one of the coloured phosphors. This creates a visible image on the screen.

Take a look at our table to find out how plasma and LCD TVs compare when measured up against each other in different categories. Remember - technology changes all the time, with both plasma and LCD TVs improving in quality, so use this table as a guideline only:

After looking at some of the main differences between Plasma and LCD TVs you might have decided which one is right for you. Both have stunning clear pictures and most models offer amazing widescreen viewing - so you can't go wrong with either! For a better picture on normal sized screens and for longer life our vote is with LCD.

	Plasma	LCD
Size and weight	Generally larger than LCDs, with screens up to 71 inches. Plasma TVs are usually around 10% heavier than LCD screens (meaning great care should be taken when mounting on a wall)	Usually no larger than 46 inches, though larger TVs are in development. LCDs are often slightly thinner than plasma TVs.
Quality of Picture	Usually plasma screens have better contrast. Both have excellent quality and sharpness	LCD usually has a slightly clearer picture in smaller models and a higher resolution.
"Image Burn"	Nowhere near as much of a problem now as a few years ago, there is still a slight concern that images left still for a long time could be etched into the screen.	This is not a problem with LCD screens.
Viewing angle	Plasma tends to have slightly better viewing angles than LCD.	Some models have a restricted viewing angle, but many allow up to 160-degree
Brightness and glare	In a fully dark room, plasma TVs have better contrast and brightness than LCD screens.	LCD TVs generally reflect less light and glare, so fare better in normal light conditions
Lifespan	Usually, plasma screens last for up to 60,000 hours before they dim by half.	LCD TVs usually last 60,000 hours or more before they dim by a half.
Energy usage	Plasma uses slightly more power than LCD screens.	LCD TVs often use less power than plasma screens. They can consume 60% less power than a CRT television